Press Release

Real communication a winner in language awards

10 July 2006

Award-winning UK projects show that providing real contexts for language use means motivated learners who appreciate the value of linguistic skills. Giving learners the opportunity to use languages for real purposes features strongly among the twelve winners of the European Award for Languages, announced today, which include bilingual learning, an innovative vocational course, community language learning and environmental projects using languages.

The Award, which marks the winning projects as among the best in Europe, recognises excellence, innovation and the ability to serve as a language-learning model. This year’s winning projects see students re-enacting the Norman occupation of a local castle; taking part in a multilingual debate with university students acting as interpreters; studying RE or Geography in French; and using ICT and drama to boost learning. 

Brian Page, Chair of the judging panel, said, ‘These twelve projects, with learners from primary through to university, are fantastic examples of how exciting and relevant language learning can be. All the activities are totally engaging and an inspiration to students and teachers alike.’

Director of CILT, the National Centre for Languages, Isabella Moore said, ‘These projects show language learning at its best: vibrant, enjoyable and totally relevant to young people’s education and interests’.

Winners will receive their Award from CILT patron Sir Trevor McDonald and Rt Hon George Reid SMP at a prize-giving ceremony at the Scottish Parliament on the European Day of Languages (26 September).

A full list of winners follows.

European Award for Languages 2006 – Winners
Primary

A world of books

Oughtrington Community Primary School, Cheshire

Through a range of translations of well-known children’s books pupils at Oughtrington Community Primary School have been given an awareness of other languages and cultures. These young learners work from repetition of words and actions to songs, games, puppet shows and plays performed for the whole school.  Foreign language books, stories and poetry are used throughout Key Stages 1 and 2 with frequent links to topic areas in other subjects.

Oughtrington Community Primary School is an average sized school with a small number from minority ethnic groups. The school focuses on providing a high quality education for all.

Language(s): French, Italian, German, Spanish

Around the world in 80 minutes

Théâtre sans frontières, Northumberland

This engaging theatre production uses technology, drama, music and language to introduce participants to francophone countries around the world. The plot was developed with a number of local primary schools, with children familiar with previous productions invited to invent new adventures for the characters. The need to speak French as well as English is woven into the plot of this bi-lingual play, giving the language element real purpose as an essential feature.

Théâtre sans frontiers is a national touring company that celebrates language and cultures. TSF works with schools and international actors to develop stimulating productions in a range of languages for language learners.

Language(s): French

Primary & Secondary

Where we live 

International Learning and Research Centre, South Gloucestershire

This e-learning project draws on the environment to engage learners in France and England in meaningful discussion about where they live. Training and support for teachers are fundamental to the project and include transnational training via video-conferencing. Students research and prepare multimedia presentations in two languages for their partner school. Activities span the curriculum taking in other subjects including History, Geography, Art, literacy and numeracy as well as MFL and ICT.

The International Learning and Research Centre is an innovation and development centre focusing on languages. It works with schools and teachers with approximately 300 teacher-researchers currently working on national and international projects.

Language(s): English, French

Secondary

Enhancing community languages

Aveling Park School, London

Taking place during the annual borough-wide Multilingual Month, this initiative brings EAL and MFL teaching together to engage students at the school as well as in local primaries. Pupils in EAL classes become teachers, preparing and delivering lessons in their mother tongue to local primary school children, who enjoy the exposure to new languages and cultures. The sessions include information about the student’s language and culture and introduce greetings, names, numbers and classroom objects.

Aveling Park School is an eleven to sixteen co-ed school in the East End of London, which over recent years has taken a number of refugee students.

Language(s): Urdu, Polish, Lithuanian, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Ashanti, Cantonese, Creole, French, German, Kirundi, Lingala, Mandarin, Panjabi, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish, Tamil, Turkish, Twi

Litterhitters!

Shawlands Academy, Glasgow

This whole-school initiative links a city clean-up operation and a school litter campaign, educating students about environmental issues in French. The approach is cross-curricular integrating subjects as Citizenship, Drama and ICT. Students have worked closely with international partners to produce a website looking at the environment in a European context. Highlights of the project include a video diary, workbook and a French play. Not only were pupils involved in staging and production of the play but in regenerating the park where it was performed in an environmental service to the local community.

Shawlands Academy is a cosmopolitan, multi-ethnic school with a student population of 1,250.

Language(s): French

Inter@action

Ringwood School, Hampshire

Culture and language skills are intertwined in the Interaction project where pupils communicate with partner schools on curriculum-based topics and meet up face-to-face on a residential experience designed to encourage team building and inter-cultural understanding. All pupils in Year 7 and Year 8 are involved in some way in the link, and many experience the residential aspects. The residential experience allows pupils meet up ‘on neutral ground’ at an activity centre (year 7s in the UK and year 8s in France).

Ringwood School is a mixed 11-18 comprehensive in a semi-rural setting with approximately 1, 600 pupils on roll.  It has been a Specialist Language College for three years.

Language(s): English, French

Invade Orford!

Debenham High School, Stowmarket, Suffolk

This re-enactment of the occupation of Orford Castle sees French exchange students and their English correspondents (each suing their foreign language) participating in a range of activities in and around the castle, culminating in a mock medieval trial in the Lower Hall. The tasks include elements from other curriculum areas including Geography and History. Students enjoy the opportunity to bring the occupation to like and appreciate the practical application of the language they have been learning.

Debenham High School is a small 11-16 rural C of E Voluntary Controlled Comprehensive. 70% of year 9 students currently continue with languages post-14.

Language(s): English, French

Vocational International Project Sheffield (VIPS)

Sheffield Local Authority

VIPS promotes a vocational approach to European languages, teaching them in a business context.

Students engage in active learning activities, with a strong focus on the spoken word and independent learning with ICT. There are also opportunities to visit local companies to meet employees using languages in their jobs, illustrating that a little language can make a big difference.

Students appreciate the usefulness of the course for their future employment opportunities, both in terms of content and skills learnt. Over 1,000 Key Stage 4 students have been involved over three years, meaning greater numbers opting to continue language learning post-14. Students achieve NVQ level 1 and/or 2.

Language(s): English, French, Italian, German, Spanish

Immersion Teaching

Tile Hill Wood School & Language College, Coventry

This CLIL (content and language integrated learning) project sees Year 7 pupils learning Geography, RE and PSHE through the medium of French with lessons delivered jointly by language and subject teachers. Pupil attainment in French has risen significantly with achievement in the other subject at least as good as the non-bilingual groups. The immersion method is hugely popular – 93% of pupils have opted to continue with bi-lingual learning in Year 8.

Tile Hill Wood is an 11-18 large all girls’ comprehensive school. The school is a specialist Language College and has recently been designated a High Performing Specialist School by the DfES.

Language(s): French

Secondary & Higher education partnerships

Junior CULP

Language Centre, University of Cambridge

The Junior CULP (Cambridge University Language Programme) offers flexible, blended learning combining face-to-face lessons with on-line course weighted in accordance to the needs and learning environments of the learners involved. Lessons focus on meaningful, real-time oral communication, drawing on the structures, vocabulary and basic communication skills developed through on-line learning. At the end of the course, all learners have the possibility of achieving qualifications through the Asset Languages scheme.

The Language Centre offers language learning opportunities to all members of the University. Students can join a CULP course or study independently one of the 150 languages on offer in the Centre.

Language(s): French, German, Italian, Spanish

Able linguist day

School of education and continuing studies, University of Portsmouth

Trainee teachers from the university run classes for able linguists from local schools to encourage them to continue with their language studies at KS4 and beyond. They work alongside their peers from other schools, taking part in challenging and stimulating activities, which to date have included making a magazine, producing a song, looking at television advertisements, presentations, cultural differences, foreign websites, aspects of culture and a variety of games.

The School of education and continuing studies offers a range of taught and research degrees designed for teachers and trainees as well as those working in support and administrative roles in schools and colleges.

Language(s): French, German, Italian, Spanish

Multilingual Debate

Department of languages and intercultural studies, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

Prominent members of the local community such as the Chief of Police and Spanish Consul are invited to take part in a formal debate with an audience of over 500 upper secondary students from across Scotland. The audience members rely on services from final year interpreting undergraduates when the debate switches to a language they do not understand. University students are thus provided with a rare opportunity for genuine interpreting and younger learners see fluency is achievable.

Heriot-Watt University’s Languages and Intercultural Studies Department specialises in the training of linguists in the fields of interpreting, translation, languages.

Language(s): British Sign Language, French, German, Spanish

Notes to Editors
 
1.       CILT, the National Centre for Languages

CILT, the National Centre for Languages seeks to promote a greater national capability in languages, supporting and developing multilingualism and intercultural competence in all sectors of society. CILT manages major initiatives in support of languages.

It works closely with partner organisations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and supports language networks throughout the UK. It is a key partner in the implementation of national languages strategies and plays a significant role in languages initiatives at European level.

www.cilt.org.uk

2.       European Award for Languages

Also known as the European Label, the Award recognises projects demonstrating an innovative, effective and replicable approach to learning languages. CILT, the National Centre for Languages is the UK co-ordinator of the initiative, which has recognised over 770 innovative projects across Europe since the end of an initial pilot phase in 1999.

To be eligible for an Award projects must demonstrate:

Innovative – the initiative involves a new method, approach or resource, which improves on previous provision.

Effective – the project is underpinned by verifiable progress towards learner targets. Replicable – the initiative can be replicated in other contexts, with potential for development.

2006 sponsors:

Alamo Group (Business Language Prize)
BBC Languages
Collins
EuroTalk Interactive (Primary Education Language Prize)
French Embassy (French Language Prize)
Germany Embassy (German Language Prize)
Heinemann
Italian Embassy (Italian Language Prize)
Mary Glasgow Language Trust (Mary Glasgow Award)
Nazir Associates
Oxford University Press
Routledge (Adult Education Prize)
Spanish Embassy (Spanish Language Prize)
Training and Development Agency for Schools (Initial Teacher Education Prize)

Mary Glasgow Award:

One of the winning projects will be selected by the Mary Glasgow Language Trust to receive its annual award, which has been increased to £2,000. Mary Glasgow founded the Mary Glasgow Language Trust after a lifetime in languages, as a teacher, HM Inspector of Schools and later as a publisher, and the work of the Trust continues in her memory. Trustees are represented on the panel of judges and their criteria are the same as those for the Award.

Details of previous winners can be found at www.cilt.org.uk/eal/winners.htm.

3.       European Day of Languages – 26 September

The European Day of Languages provides a focus for encouraging people to:

·  Start learning a new language

·  Take part in events celebrating learning and speaking other languages

·  Consider the benefits that language learning brings

Co-ordinated in the UK by CILT, the National Centre for Languages, the European Day of Languages has been established as an annual event by the Council of Europe. This comes as a result of the enthusiasm with which it was celebrated during 2001, the European Year of Languages, and the need to continue to develop language capability across Europe.

www.cilt.org.uk/edl